Ankeny plans new trail at High Trestle Trail park
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A rendering of a planned "flowline" trail planned in Ankeny. Rendering: Courtesy of the city of Ankeny
Ankeny's growing High Trestle Trail Experience Park is getting a new "flowline" trail this year, giving outdoor enthusiasts some new ups and downs to explore.
Driving the news: The nearly 900-foot paved path will be built off the High Trestle Trail and include small rising and falling hills along an otherwise typically flat trail system, Ankeny economic development director Derek Lord tells Axios.
- It's planned just east of Walnut Street and will be accessible for everyone, including families pushing strollers, wheelchair users and kids on bikes, Lord says.
- The next phase of the park's development also includes adding pocket play areas along the trail and new park benches.
- An interactive LED light installation is also planned for the underpass beneath South Ankeny Boulevard to welcome trail users coming from the south.
Zoom in: This year's project phase costs around $300,000. Ankeny received a $100,000 grant from Polk County and $45,000 from the Bravo arts council, while the rest of the funds will come from city tax dollars.
The big picture: Lord says the city plans to add on to the 14-acre park over time to make the Uptown area an outdoor tourism destination.
- Last year, the city finished the $1 million first phase of the project, which included a glow trail and planting vegetation.
- The High Trestle is the most popular recreational trail in central Iowa, but Ankeny's side previously didn't have distinctive features to draw people to the area.
What's next: The flowline is expected to open by the end of summer 2026.
